San Diego State football commit reopens recruitment

Brandon Smith is a two-way star in the Fresno area

San Diego State Aztecs helmet. | Troy Babbitt-Imagn Images

Less than three months after announcing his commitment to San Diego State, 2026 two-way athlete Brandon Smith is back on the market.

Central East running back and defensive back Brandon Smith withdrew his commitment from San Diego State, restarting the process with six months left before he can make his signing official.

Smith has added a dozen scholarship offers during his recruitment, picking up offers from Utah, UNLV, and Boise State shortly before he announced his commitment to San Diego State in late January. With the loss of Smith, San Diego State slides down to No. 4 in the Mountain West recruiting rankings behind UNLV, Boise State and Nevada. The Rebels have been aggressive in the early going under new head coach Dan Mullen. UNLV has eight commitments, adding five in the last few weeks.

Smith had a monster junior season for the Grizzlies, showing off his abilities on both sides of the ball. He rushed for 1,871 yards and 25 touchdowns, averaging seven yards per carry. He also caught 31 passes, scoring three more times through the air. On defense, Smith had 71 tackles, two sacks, two interceptions and returned a fumble for a touchdown.

NFL standouts Xavier Worthy and Jaylon Johnson have both come out of Central High in recent years, continuing the trend of top football players from the Fresno area. Smith, who enters his senior season having already scored 38 touchdowns, had his best game last season in a 45-27 win against Clovis West. He rushed for 212 yards and two touchdowns, also contributing with three tackles and an interception.

The loss of Smith leaves San Diego State with four current commitments in the class of 2026. Malik White, an offensive tackle from Rancho Cucamonga, committed to San Diego State in January. Crosby Kelly, a tight end who’s also capable of playing on the defensive line, committed to San Diego State in February. He’ll be playing his final high school season at Campolindo High in the East Bay area.

Isaiah Lucero, a dynamic two-way athlete, committed to San Diego State in March after a big junior season at Northview High in Covina. Jeremiah Brown is San Diego State’s most recent commitment. A linebacker at San Jacinto High, Brown has totaled 254 tackles, six sacks and five interceptions with one season left to play.